Abstract

LOPEZ-LOPEZ, Karina; RODRIGUEZ-MORA, Diana Milena  and  VACA-VACA, Juan Carlos. Optimizing conditions for biolistic inoculation of Begomovirus in tomato and tobacco. Rev. colomb. biotecnol [online]. 2013, vol.15, n.2, pp.8-17. ISSN 0123-3475.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rev.colomb.biote.v15n2.41261.

Experimental transmission of Begomovirus is problematic. Most Begomoviruses can be transmitted readily from plant to plant by the whitefly vector, but this also requires a live infected plant and extensive facilities to maintain the insect. Whitefly inoculations can also be problematic because of their preferential feeding habits on certain plants. Mechanical inoculation of Begomovirus is possible but generally at low rates and for others not at all. For this reason particle bombardment (biolistic) of DNA viral as an inoculum was developed. The possibility of using the Helios Gen Gun System (Biorad^®), a biolistic hand-held device, for transmitting Begomovirus bipartite to tomato and tobacco plants was assayed and optimized. Biolistic inoculation was carried out with the hand held device at 220 or 320 psi, applying 1 or 2 shots /plant and using gold particles of 0.6 or 1.6µm in size. Characteristic symptoms of viral disease (chlorosis, mosaic and leaf deformation) appeared 3 weeks post-inoculation in the newly developing leaves. Replication of the viral DNA in plants was confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction. All bombarded plants became infected when biolistic inoculation was carried out with the hand held device at 320psi and using 1.6 µm gold particles in size. To our knowledge this is the first report in Colombia of successful direct inoculation of tomato and tobacco plants with Begomovirus bipartite geminivirus using a biolistic hand-held device.

Keywords : geminivirus; Solanum lycopersicum; Nicotiana tabacum; N. benthamiana; Bemisia tabaci.

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